Pakistan’s horrendous Champions Trophy 2025 campaign has left fans heartbroken, and cricket legend Shahid Afridi is not holding back.
The former captain has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), calling out their poor decision-making, lack of consistency, and reactive approach to team management.
In typical Afridi style, he didn’t mince words. Comparing Pakistan cricket to a critically ill patient, he made it clear that the problems run deep.
“All the time we talk about preparations, and when an event comes and we flop, then we talk about surgery. Fact is, Pakistan cricket is in ICU because of incorrect decisions,” Afridi stated.
A Tournament to Forget
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign was a disaster—not a single win, a crushing defeat to India, another loss to New Zealand, and a washed-out game against Bangladesh. This was a performance that exposed everything wrong with the team, from lack of planning to leadership instability.
Afridi’s frustration echoes the sentiments of millions of fans who expected better but were left disappointed.
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Shadab Khan’s Surprise Recall: What’s the Logic?
One of Afridi’s biggest concerns was the sudden recall of Shadab Khan to the T20 squad. Shadab, who had been out of favor since the last T20 World Cup, is not only back but has been appointed vice-captain for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
Shahid Afridi was blunt in questioning the move:
“On what basis has he been recalled? What are his performances in domestic cricket or otherwise that he had been picked again?”
It’s a valid point. If there are no clear selection criteria, how can players feel secure or motivated to perform?
Pakistan Cricket’s Never-Ending Leadership Crisis
Shahid Afridi also highlighted the constant changes in Pakistan’s leadership, saying it prevents any real progress. Captains, coaches, and selection committees keep changing, but the results remain the same.
“There is no continuity, no consistency in the board’s decisions and policies. We keep changing captains, coaches, or some players, but in the end, what is the accountability for board officials?”
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He’s not wrong. Over the past few years, Pakistan cricket has seen a revolving door of leadership changes. If the system itself is unstable, how can the team perform consistently?
The Blame Game Never Ends
Afridi also slammed the toxic blame culture in Pakistan cricket. After every poor performance, there’s a cycle of finger-pointing between players, coaches, and management.
“It is sad to see coaches blaming players to save their jobs and the management blaming players and coaches to save their seats. How can our cricket progress when there is a sword hanging constantly over the captain and coaches’ heads?”
Despite all his criticism, Afridi did acknowledge that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi wants to improve Pakistan cricket. However, he questioned whether Naqvi even has the time or expertise to run the board effectively.
“He wants to do well for Pakistan, but in the end, he depends on advice. And I told him he can’t continue doing three jobs at a time. He needs to focus on one job because being PCB Chairman is a full-time job.”
This is another crucial issue—can someone who is juggling multiple responsibilities really dedicate enough time to fixing Pakistan cricket?
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